Sprint and Samsung (News - Alert) Mobile have unveiled a new phone: the M520 by Samsung. It is described as the first slider Power Vision phone, and is packed with communication and entertainment features including Web access, live TV, location services, song downloads, texting and GPS.

 

“We are pleased to introduce this simple-to-use and inexpensive slider phone into our robust Power Vision portfolio,” said Danny Bowman, Sprint’s (News - Alert) vice president of Customer Equipment, in a statement. “Accessing services that are useful and entertaining is truly effortless with the M520 by Samsung. Customers will appreciate the uncomplicated menus and smooth multi-tasking capabilities.”

 

The M520 comes in a slim, slider form factor. It’s designed for multi-tasking so, for example, users can play music in background mode while sending text messages, playing games or browsing the Web.

 

The Samsung M520 will be supported by the Sprint Mobile Broadband network. The phone will offer access to exclusive services and multimedia content from Sprint. These include:

 

Sprint Navigation - a Telenav-powered GPS service that offers audio and visual driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and over 10 million local listings.

 

Live Search for Sprint - A Microsoft (News - Alert) service that offers voice-enabled access to directory information while on the move, GPS-enabled directions, interactive maps and one-touch click to call access.

 

Sprint Music Store – A virtual store where users can browse and download songs wirelessly to their phone. Users can select from over 1.8 million songs for just 99 cents each

 

Sprint TV – offers over 50 channels of live and on-demand video and audio

Sprint Exclusive Entertainment (SEE) - the industry’s only made-for-mobile sports and entertainment video programming network.

 

For all downloads, standard data charges apply.

 

In addition to the above, the device also offers a wide array of other features, such as Web access, SMS voice and text messaging, Phone as Modem, picture caller ID, Wireless Backup, a MicroSD slot that supports 4GB of memory (64MB card enclosed), stereo Bluetooth with audio caller ID that helps users to identify callers with a spoken voice while listening to music, and a 1.3 megapixel camera that offers 2x digital zoom and camcorder functionality.

 

The device is now available in all Sprint retail channels and through its Web site. It is priced at $49.99, with a $50 mail-in rebate and a 2-year contract. The phone measures 4.01” x 2.04” x 0.5” when closed, and weighs less than 2.8 ounces.